Blizzard’s new Sheeva 10 and its big sister, Sheeva 11 ($840), are prime examples of the confluence of women-specific constructions and Big Mountain design. Both market segments share an obsession with light weight, tempered by the need for stability. This is an instance where what’s good for the goose is identical to what’s good for the gander.

At the heart of every lightweight design is carbon, and the Sheeva 10 has plenty of it, both in stringers in its glass laminates and in unidirectional inserts at tip and tail that help lower swingweight. Its signature feature is a Titanal laminate that runs nearly edge-to-edge underfoot but tapers to a blunt tongue that doesn’t quite reach either tip or tail. The intent is to add stability underfoot but keep the rest of the ski looser, so it can contort to absorb irregular terrain.

According to the handful of our testers who tried it, mission accomplished. They described it as “smooth,” “easy to ski,” and “stable but playful.” The Sheeva 11 delivers the same sensations but on a larger scale, with a 112mm waist in a 172cm. To keep the Sheeva lively no matter the width or length, the Titanal top sheet varies its dimensions with each ski size. Naturally, the turn radius also changes with each size, so if want a fat ski with a 13m sidecut, get a Sheeva 10 in a 156cm.

This ability to make lovely short turns in soft snow earns the Sheeva 10 a Silver Skier Selection.